Improvement in harvester-rakes



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

J. F. SEIBERLING.

Harvester-Rakes. No.153,913 I PatentedAug.H,1874.

V I, I 2Sheets--Sheet2. L'F) SEIB EBLINIL' Harvester-Rakes.

Patented Aug. 11,1874

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE JOHN F..SEIBERLING, OF AKRON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVES'l'ER-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,9l3, dated August11, 1874 ap lication filed November 10, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. SEIBERLING, of Akron, in the county ofSummit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Harvesters and Harvester-Rakes, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which show allmy improvements as embodied in one machine in the best waynow known to me, and in which- Figure 1 represents a View, inperspective, of my improved harvester as seen from behind Fi g. 2, aplan of a portion thereof;

Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section there through on the line a; a ofFig. 2.

Two drivingwheels, A A, are mounted loosely on an axle, B, with whichthey are connected by suitable backingratchets. This axle turns freelyin boxes in a frame, 0 O, by preference of metal, cast in such shape asto form part of a casing for the gearing. A tongue, D, projects from theinner front corner'of this frame, and a seat, E, for the driver ismounted on the rear of said frame, so as,

in'some measure, to counterbalance the weight of the coupling frame andits connections. This seat, it will be observed, is mounted on a flatspring standard or plate, E, rocking on a pivot, e, on the casing. Itsprojecting lower end bears against a spring, 0, of rubber or equivalentmaterial. The seat is thus free to move or yield slightly bothlongitudinally and laterally. A couplingarm, F, is pivoted on atubularboss, 0, on the front of the frame, through which the crank-shaftpasses, thus securing a concentric movement of the coupling-arm andshaft. A brace, f, is attached at its front end to the coupling-arm, andpivoted to the main frame or gear-casing behind the axle. Alifting-lever, K, is pivoted on the tongue or frame, and carries a pawl,70, which engages with a sector-rack, '10.

When used as a mower, a lifting-chain, l, connects the lifting-leverdirectly with the coupling-arm F, which can thus be held at any desiredheight from the ground by the pawl, or be allowed freely to play up anddown by releasing the pawl, as is well understood. The lifting-lever isconnected by a chain, 1, with a spring, L, on the frame. The spring iscomposed of a rubber tube, with the chain attached to a rod passingthrough it,

and attached to a plate on its rear end. The front end of the spring isfixed to the frame; consequently the resilience of the spring tends tolift the cutting apparatus, thus causing it to run lightly over theground when mowing.

In reaping, the spring is unnecessary. The chain 1, instead of beingattached directly to the coupling-arm," as in mowing, is attached to aliftingarm. M secured to the hinged shoe M and projecting inwardly overthe coupling-arm. The finger-beam M is secured to a shoe, M hinged tolugs on the couplingarm in a well-known way. A platform, N, is attachedto the finger-beam when reaping.

By lifting by means of the lifting-arm M which is fast on the shoe, orthe end of the finger-beam, much less power is required than whenlifting directly on the coupling-frame;

and I have in practice found this device particularly advantageous whenusedwith the hinged shoe and the crank-arms, by which the finger-beam,platform, and rake attach ments are raised. A post or standard, 0, ismounted upon the finger-beam or shoe, to which it is connected byadjustable links or brackets 0 0, by which means it may be set fartherbackward or forward, as-des'i'red. A bracket, P, is mounted on thispostin such manner as to give it a pretty wide range of adjustment byturning laterally and vertically on a pivot, so as to vary the angle,relatively to the finger-beam, of a fixed studaxle, 10, upon which anarm, 11, is secured by a creased clutch, or other well-known equivalentmeans of securing it firmly on its stud, while allowing it to be swungaround said stud, and adjusted in any desired position relativelythereto. The grain-wheelQis mounted on a cranked axle extendingunderneath the platform, and having its inner cranked arm q pivoted in abracket, R, mounted loosely upon the main axle. A bevel-wheel, r, onthis axle drives a corresponding pinion, W, on a stud-axle on thebracket above mentioned. This pinion is connected, by a universal jointand extensible tumbling-shaft of well known construction, with abevel-pinion, W, on the rakesupporting bracket. This bevel-pinion drivesa corresponding gear, S, on the stud-axle p, which bevel-gear carries abow or reel-supporter, 8, connected by a swivel-joint with a reel-shaft,T, supported at its outer end by a standard, U. The reeIstandard, itwill be ob served, stands up high above the tops of the tallest grain.The reel-arms T are attached to their shaft at the inner ends only, soas virtually to constitute an overhanging reel. A rake-head, V, isattached to an arm, V, journaled on an arm, V, so as to swing around itto a limited extent. The arm V is bifurcated and pivoted to thebevel-wheel S on each side of its stud-axle, and in the same plane asits axis. The outer end of this arm is bent upward and pivoted in aswivel-bracket, v. A link-rod, W, swiveled to the stud-arm 1), Works ina vertically-slotted guide, 1;, on the rake-arm. Acoiled spring, w, onthis linkrod acts upon. the rake-arm through the swivelbracket, for apurpose hereinafter described. The tension of this spring is regulatedby sliding collars and clamp-screws, or other wellknown equivalentmeans.

The operation of the mowing part of the machine will be apparent fromthe foregoing description. The'operation of the raking apparatus is asfollows: Suppose the rake to start from the position shown in Fig.1-that is, moving backward just after having descended upon thefinger-beam. The stud-arm p, it will be observed, is inclined backwardand downward at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the horizon, andto the vertical plane of the finger-beam. As the rake moves backward theradial distance between the swivel-bracket on the arm V and the pivot ofthe link \V is shortened; consequently the spring 10 is compressed, andthe rake caused to bear upon the platform in raking off, as well as torock slightly on the arm V, as the-rake-arm rises and moves forwardagain. This capacity of the rake-head for rocking enables its arm tomove closer to its stud axle or pin than it otherwise could.

As the rake descends it intersects the path of the reel, resumes itsvertical position, and descends quickly into the standing grain inadvance of the platform, sweeping the grain upon the platform. Thereel-supporting bow s, it will be observed, is opposite the rakearm, andrevolves with the wheel S around the stud-axle, but, nevertheless,always maintains the reel-shaft in one fixed position,while moving outof the way of the rake on its forward stroke. This is a novel, useful,and

the other is suspended from the main axle,)

the lifting-arm projecting from the inner end of the finger-beam, orfrom the shoe, the lifting-lever, and the chain attached to said lifting-arm, these members being constructed and operating substantially asset forth.

2. The combination of the fixed stud-axle, the hub or wheel revolvingthereon, the independent reel-shaft mounted on a support re-, volvingwith the wheel around the stud-axle, the rake pivoted on the hub, andthe swiveling link connecting the stud-axle and rakearm, these membersbeing constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the stud-axle, the gear-whee1 turning thereon, therake-arm pivoted on the wheel, the fixed arm on the stud-- axle, theswivel link-rod, the spring, the swivelbracket, and the slotted guide onthe rakearm, these members being constructed and operating substantiallyas set forth.

4. The bow-shaped reel-support s, constructed as set forth, revolvingwith the rake and around the stud-axle, whereby the rake and reelsupport interchange positions in their revolution without interferencewith each other, while maintaining the reel-shaft in a fixed position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN F. SEIBERLING.

Witnesses:

JOHN WEMMER, N. O. BARTON.

